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Hometown: Crystal Lake
Latest book: “Who’s Afraid of Wolffy: A sister’s struggle to make sense of her Vietnam vet brother’s reclusion and murder”
Publisher: Self-published
Release date: Feb. 28, 2018
Where can we find it? Amazon.com
What’s it about?
“Who’s Afraid of Wolffy?” is not only John Wolff, Jr.’s life story, but also the story of our brother-sister bond. A strong bond that prompted me to piece together the life of a brother I had dearly loved but had not seen for those many years, while attempting to deal with the emotional trauma of having a sibling murdered. John had shunned his family due to mental illness not long after returning from Vietnam and went off to live a solitary, puzzling life. It was painful to discover how my brother’s once-promising life had fallen into the ravages of schizophrenia. From being notified in the middle of the night of his death, to going through and handling every item of his estate, to selling properties in four states and two foreign countries, and worst of all, to being involved in every aspect of his murderer’s arraignment, trial and ultimate conviction, this was, without a doubt, the most difficult and most life-challenging and life-changing task ever thrust upon me.
Where did the idea come from?
Because I had difficulty finding supportive resources after the murder of my brother and because I had to jump into so many “worlds” of which I had no knowledge – psychological impact of a murder on family members, discovery of the life of a brother who had been estranged for more than 20 years, handling an out-of-state estate, going through a criminal investigation and the trial of a family member’s murderer – I felt compelled to share my experiences in the hopes of helping someone else who has undergone similar circumstances. I also wanted to enlighten people that someone with a mental illness is still a valid person, that their mental illness does not diminish their value to those who love them, nor does it preclude them from fitting into society. Most of all, I wanted to honor my brother.
What genre is your book, and why
were you drawn to it?
I was in awe of the expertise and hard work of the investigators and the prosecuting attorney in solving the crime and bringing my brother’s murderer to justice. Although I feel my book might fit in several genres, on Amazon, I had to choose just one and true crime seemed to be the best fit.
Who is the intended audience?
“Who’s Afraid of Wolffy” will appeal to criminal justice professionals interested in how this murder transpired, was solved and was prosecuted. It will appeal to mental health professionals wanting to learn more about how those afflicted with schizophrenia function, as well as learning how murder and its grief impacts siblings. And, it will appeal to fans of true crime and perhaps to Vietnam War vets. The book’s main benefit, however, may be to the families and friends who are left behind when a loved one is murdered. This is an audience who is left absolutely mind-blown in the wake of the worst of violent crimes. Their life is changed into something unrecognizable in the blink of an eye. And it may provide those families with insight into how to move forward with all that must be handled after the murder.
Why is this story important to you?
The impact of my brother’s murder to me has been tremendous, and it has changed my life forever. Most of all, I wanted to honor my brother as a kind, intelligent person with a promising life that was first snatched away by mental illness and then by a murderer.
How long did it take you to write?
What was your process?
I started writing notes not long after my brother was murdered in 2003. A few years after, I started writing a few chapters. At some point, I began writing in earnest and completed a book in 2014, but I wasn’t happy with it and knew I needed to write the book from a completely different angle.
My process was that I had to go through the voluminous paperwork found in my brother’s house, put it all into chronological order and then make sense of it all. Then, I had to figure out how to intersperse and connect my own experiences with my brother’s – our growing up together, his letters home from Vietnam and how he functioned with his schizophrenia thereafter here in McHenry County and then in Missouri. This was all intertwined with Missouri news reports and experiences with their law enforcement, coroner, investigators and local residents.
What is your education/background?
I attended McHenry County College as an adult and then graduated from Columbia College, Crystal Lake campus, with a major in English and a minor in psychology. Upon graduation, after many years in the working world already, I worked as an administrative assistant and gardening columnist for Fifty & Better, a startup senior publication, and then moved to the Northwest Herald in an administrative capacity. Upon leaving the Herald, I wrote feature stories and edited for several telecommunications and horticultural trade magazines. Thereafter, I worked for a federally funded program assisting unemployed individuals, and after earning several masters-levels certificates in career counseling, I was promoted to an assistant director position. Within my management role, I wrote internal policy, grant proposals and website content.
How/why did you decide to write a book?
Writing a book has been in my mind for many, many years. My brother’s murder gave me the impetus to go ahead and do it.
Who are your favorite authors?
I am enamored by the Russian authors, predominantly Dostoevsky and Solzhenitsyn, but I truly enjoy a good Grisham or Baldacci novel.
Pick one: Danielle Steel or John Grisham?
John Grisham. Although, years ago, I used to read some of Steel’s books. However, it is her nonfiction book, “His Bright Light,” based on the death of her son, Nick, that truly moved me. It is very well-written, and I applaud Steel for being so open about the circumstances of her life and of Nick’s suicide.
Pick one: Stephen King or Nicholas Sparks?
Neither are my favorites, and it would depend on my mood. Sparks is good for light reading, while King is good if one desires a frightening tale.
Pick one: Ebooks or hard/paperbacks?
I would always choose a hardback or paperback book that I can hold in my hands.
Have you written anything else?
As mentioned in my background response, I was published in several trade magazines in the early 2000s. Thereafter, I wrote mainly policy, grant proposals and web content.
What’s next for you?
I would like to focus on some freelance writing, as well as try to tap into my more creative versus analytical side for future short stories.
How can readers discover more about you and you work?
My website, wolfwrite.com